The present invention relates generally to a diagnostic tool. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adaptive power source diagnostic tool for determining and managing data.
Among the standard options in a modern automobile are power steering, power brakes, an automatic transmission, electric windows and doors, and computer software and hardware. All of these additions plus many more have made great demands on the vehicles power system. Improvements in battery technology have resulted in large capacitance and loads and longer abilities to hold and retain a charge.
Further advances in battery technology have resulted in integrated circuitry being incorporated into the battery. This integrated circuitry communicates with a power management system in the automobile. The purpose for this circuitry is to manage the charge and power consumption of the battery. Some batteries on the market even have the capability to store information and perform self-diagnostics. This information is then communicated to the power management system.
In order to retrieve information from these types of batteries, one needs to tap into the diagnostic information generated by the circuitry to get the data. Tapping into the diagnostic information is not always possible especially on a stand-alone battery. Additionally, those who need access to the diagnostic information do not have the means to access it. A tool is needed for battery shops and the like to evaluate batteries for replacement or reconditioning that is low cost and does not require the ability to retrieve the data via the vehicle network.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a tool that can extract or pull this data from a battery that is not connected to the power management system. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a tool that can extract this information from a battery and take corrective measures such as charging the battery as needed.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a diagnostic apparatus that determines specific information as well as the status of a stand-alone power source is provided. The apparatus includes a communications port that attaches to a power source data port through which it receives data, a processor, which processes the data to determine information about the power source, is linked to the communications port and an output device that displays the information determined by the processor. The main feature of the invention allows a user to extract information from the stand-alone battery.
In another aspect of the present invention, an input device to enter codes is provided. The codes can be data or instructional. The latter instructs the processor to perform specific jobs with respect to the power source.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for determining and managing the status of a stand-alone power source is provided. The method includes the steps of retrieving data from the power source through a communications port that attaches to a power source data port, processing the data received from the power source data port and displaying the processed data. A further step to this method is entering data or instructional codes into the processor.
In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus determines specific information and the status of a stand-alone power source. The apparatus includes means for retrieving data from a power source data port, means for processing the data received from the power source and means for displaying the processed data. A further element of the apparatus is a means for entering codes into the processor.
In another aspect of the present invention, a diagnostic apparatus for determining specific information and the status of a stand-alone power source is provided. The apparatus includes a charger that attaches to the power source, test hardware that is linked to the charger for testing a condition of the power source and a diagnostic tool that is linked to the power source, charger and test hardware. The diagnostic tool retrieves and processes data from the power source.
The diagnostic tool, in the preferred embodiment, includes a power communications port that attaches to the power source data port through which it receives data, a processor that uses the data to determine information about the power source and an output device that displays the information determined by the processor.
The charger is employed in conjunction with the test hardware to determine various states of the battery. These elements, in the preferred embodiment, perform a variety of testing procedures. One such test is capacitance, which is accomplished through a method known in the art as loading.
In another aspect of the present invention, the power source is able to charge the power source. The power source can be upon command or it can be charged upon retrieving and processing the relevant information. The present invention, through the processor, determines from the data whether to proceed with charging the battery or not.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the ability to plug-in or communicate with the vehicle power management system is provided. To accomplish this, the inventor provides a vehicle communications port. The port serves as a conduit for transferring data to a processor for evaluation purposes.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for determining the condition of a power source. The steps include testing the power source with test hardware and a charger to determine conditions of the power source, retrieving data from the power source through a diagnostic tool that is linked to both the charger and the test hardware, processing the data received from the power source and displaying the processed data. Further steps to this method are entering codes into the diagnostic tool and retrieving data from a vehicle communications port connector.
In accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for determining the condition of a power source. The apparatus includes a means for charging the power source, means for testing the power source, which is connected to the means for charging, means for retrieving data from the power source, means for processing the data received from the power source and means for displaying the processed data. Further elements are means for entering codes into the means for processing and means for retrieving data from a vehicle power management system.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.